First time renting - Disabled and moving away from home

elsien

Checking the obligatory gas safety checks have been done. Because if they're not doing those, what other things might they be skimping on?
Are the flat utilities totally separate from the business downstairs? What sort of heating, as that will affect how much it costs to live there.

Have you drawn up a rough budget to check that your benefits will cover everything you might need?

RTC

elsien wrote: »

Checking the obligatory gas safety checks have been done. Because if they're not doing those, what other things might they be skimping on?
Are the flat utilities totally separate from the business downstairs? What sort of heating, as that will affect how much it costs to live there.

Have you drawn up a rough budget to check that your benefits will cover everything you might need?

Not fully separate you have to walk through the salon backroom to get to the upstairs bedroom and bathroom.

I haven't but this is part of my plans for the next few days.

elsien

Just thinking you need to check it's not one of the weird set ups where the electric meters haven't been properly separated for business and flat, or the heating is all one system so you don't have direct control over it yourself.
It's not common but I've lived somewhere like that and I spend half my life freezing because the landlord only put the heating on a couple of times a day.

RTC

elsien wrote: »

Just thinking you need to check it's not one of the weird set ups where the electric meters haven't been properly separated for business and flat, or the heating is all one system so you don't have direct control over it yourself.
It's not common but I've lived somewhere like that and I spend half my life freezing because the landlord only put the heating on a couple of times a day.

Hmm I'll add that to the list as that's one thing I would not want at all, thanks for the heads up 😊

[Deleted User]

Go into your local housing department and ask what your likely limit of HLA will be. Be aware that even full single bedroom flat HLA quite often doesn't cover the rent. Take someone with you if you need to. Make sure you clarify that you get PIP and this should mean you get more than the shared accommodation rate.

Do you have enough for a deposit and month's rent in advance?

There are supported living schemes. My son has ASD and a specialist social worker and he nearly went into one. He says it was quite nice.

RTC

deannatrois wrote: »

Go into your local housing department and ask what your likely limit of HLA will be. Be aware that even full single bedroom flat HLA quite often doesn't cover the rent. Take someone with you if you need to. Make sure you clarify that you get PIP and this should mean you get more than the shared accommodation rate.

Do you have enough for a deposit and month's rent in advance?

There are supported living schemes. My son has ASD and a specialist social worker and he nearly went into one. He says it was quite nice.

I'll be taking my mother with me to any flat viewings as she knows what she's talking about (I hope haha).

I should have enough and I think my family would help out if need be as I have paid costs in to the family home. I've looked in to supported living schemes around where I live in the past and really didn't like the look of them myself as I didn't think they were very high but I'm pleased your son has had a different experience 😊

[Deleted User]

He didn't move in in the end, it was run by a company who were supplying him with a PA service that was vastly overcharged for (they were being paid for 16 hours a week, only supplying 2-4 and lied about it, adding hours so not good), didn't meet any of his listed needs (as he's very able but has social phobia issues) and there was nothing we could do. So he didn't have the confidence to take it forward.

He's now going to university however, and living in, with a lot of support so that will probably meet his needs and allow him to be independent as much as he wants to. Meanwhile every day is a daily living skill task to be learned lol. But we are having fun too. Just hope support people actually do what they say they will this time.

RTC

deannatrois wrote: »

He didn't move in in the end, it was run by a company who were supplying him with a PA service that was vastly overcharged for (they were being paid for 16 hours a week, only supplying 2-4 and lied about it, adding hours so not good), didn't meet any of his listed needs (as he's very able but has social phobia issues) and there was nothing we could do. So he didn't have the confidence to take it forward.

He's now going to university however, and living in, with a lot of support so that will probably meet his needs and allow him to be independent as much as he wants to. Meanwhile every day is a daily living skill task to be learned lol. But we are having fun too. Just hope support people actually do what they say they will this time.

Sounds very similar to me in that I can do but the social aspect is just something I really struggle with like meeting new people etc..

I know how difficult I find it so the fact he's able to go to university and live in is great to hear and really impressive to me.